


Shampoo and Strange Feelings

by Saltiest fker in Hyrule (MeanQueen)



Series: Saving the Day [4]
Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Err more like """""""""""Fluff""""""""""""", Fluff, I like to torture these boys but mostly Link because Sidon is still oblivious, M/M, because Link keeps ruining the fluffy mood for himself
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-25
Updated: 2017-03-25
Packaged: 2018-10-10 09:58:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10435203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeanQueen/pseuds/Saltiest%20fker%20in%20Hyrule
Summary: Link has decided he needs to deny his feelings for Sidon, but he's REALLY bad at it.Meanwhile Sidon is beginning to wonder about strange feelings he has for Link.Fighting monsters together(ish) and a kinda romantic but mostly really awkward bath ensues.





	

**Author's Note:**

> sorry @ the 3 or 4 of you interested in the monster plot, it's totally absent from this chapter lmao

   

_I can’t tell Prince Sidon how I feel because I might end up needing to run off to the far side of Hyrule for a month at the drop of a hat._

      Link swung his sword upward. It dug into the dust-caked wobbling flesh mass that was the belly of an angry Hinox. Then he rolled backwards out of the way to avoid the response attack he knew was coming.

 

He was out in the fields just outside of the Zora territory, where the sun shined more often and everything had warmer hues. He’d needed to get away for a little bit, clear his head, maybe vent a little where none of the Zora people could see. He didn’t want them to misinterpret this as him being worried about fighting the creature he needed to save them from. If thought he wasn’t confident in his ability to fight for them, they might become afraid. Luckily for everyone, but himself that wasn’t the problem he was having right now.

       

_I can’t tell Prince Sidon how I feel because he should be with someone who knows something about politics, who can give him second opinions about diplomatic-y things!_

        

      As he’d predicted, the Hinox swiped at the ground where Link had just been standing. It was temporarily blind from an earlier strike, but Link could see the red clearing from its pupil. It seemed to still be straining to see him, so maybe he had time for one more attack. The Hylian risked darting around to the beast’s back and driving the sword into the thick smelly flesh of its rump.

        

_I can’t tell Prince Sidon how I feel because I, albeit by accident, cut him with a sword! And yeah, he forgives me and has been hit by a lotta swords, but that’s a really bad first meeting and I’ll never live it down._

         

      Agonized Hinox howls boomed in Link’s ears, distracting him from the swinging of long meaty arms. One of the Hinox’s claws managed to nick Link at the hip, cutting right through his blue tunic to actually break the skin.

      

      The hero hissed and scrambled out of the way from any more swings, abandoning his sword in the monster’s rear. Despite that, he _did_ consider himself lucky. Usually when struck by a Hinox he’d have been thrown many feet and been rendered breathless until it was almost too late.

      

      He dashed left and right, trying to fake the Hinox out as to which way he’d go and successfully confused it, then made a break right at it. The dry dust let him slide easily between it’s legs and leap up on the other side to shove that sword upward through the beast’s back.

      

      The blood that poured from the wound directly onto his head smelled so foul that Link was dry-retching in moments, before the Hinox could even scream.

         

_I can’t tell Prince Sidon how I feel because Prince Sidon doesn’t even like it when people like him like that, he’s always very uncomfortable about romancy things!_

      Link’s balance was tested by the shake of the earth when the Hinox dropped face-first into the dirt. It was dead, and the sweaty, panting, emotional and blood-drenched champion was the victor. Again. The hero tossed his badly damaged sword into the blood-dampened grass behind him and tried to wipe the blood away from his mouth. But then he looked down at his palm and frowned. It was _also_ covered in blood. So he’d done nothing but smear more blood around his mouth. _Fantastic_.  

      

 _I can’t tell Prince Sidon how I feel because I often smell awful and shouldn’t be kissing or getting kissed by him with a mouth full of monster blood..._ Link thought with a lot of salt and spat at the dirt. It wasn’t fair.

         

      A shadow fell over him from behind and he squinted back to see… Another Hinox!! It slammed its big fists into the ground and roared right in his face, sending spit and then Link flying. The boy bounced one and skidded along the dirty, trying to scramble up onto his feet before he even stopped moving which only caused him to fall over again.

      

      A terrible pressure slammed down on one of his legs and Link yelped and kicked at the Hinox’s knuckles with his free leg while he was lifted into the air upside-down.

      

      The Hinox’s bulbous eye was centered right on Link’s face it’s lips were pulling back, showing off those yellow tusks.

      

      _Not good, not good!_ Link panicked. He couldn’t remember ever being in such a distressful situation before, always so careful around the tougher enemies. The assumption that Hinox were solitary creatures seemed like a safe one before now; he had never seen two Hinox in the same area before.

      

      While he was preoccupied by kicking at one hand, the other approached. Link barely saw it in time and extended his arms to try and hold the ugly fingers back from crushing his head. Meanwhile the Hinox was staring at so intently. That stare, it was so frightening. It had such an obvious intent to kill...

     

     In the next instant, three ice arrows pierced the eye in such rapid fire that if Link blinked he’d have missed all three. The Hinox began to bellow; it hadn’t let go of Link yet. So another three arrows cut deep into the crook of the arm that gripped Link’s leg. He found himself tumbling in the next moment.

     

     It wasn’t a graceful landing. It was really hard on his upper back and he clacked his jaw hard. But he had no time to recover. He was scampering out of the way before he could even see clearly. The Hinox could would surely smash him if he didn’t.

     

     He was scooped up again, this time by something much gentler. The arms of his dear, _dear_ Zora prince. In a voice that _dripped_ with concern, Sidon demanded, “Link, please tell me you’re okay.”

     

     Link nodded, a bit dazed. He looked over at the Hinox and saw it getting smaller and smaller as Sidon carried him away. This man ran as if he himself were an arrow.

     

     “Do not worry about that creature. I will take care of it,” Sidon said, his voice proud besides a tiny worried break when his eyes fell upon the gash on Link’s hip. He carried Link until there were many hills between them and the beast, then set him down in the shade of a tree, handing him a healing potion. The fretful face Sidon was making as he took in all the blood that covered Link was churning the boy’s stomach.

     

      _Goddess, he cares so much… But it makes me feel so much worse about this impossible crush,_ Link thought as popped open the potion and took a swig. Sidon continued to watch Link with a lot of worry and compassion, glancing over his shoulder every so often in the direction of the Hinox. _I should be returning his friendship but instead--no, not instead, ASWELL as that--I just want to make out._

     

     “I was so worried when I saw it grab you,” Sidon said while Link downed the last of the healing potion. “I wasn’t sure I’d make it in time. That kind of creature is very rare in my territory; I know how they die, but am still not sure what it does to people if it catches them.”

     

      _I don’t either and never want to find out._

     

     Sidon looked calmer once he saw Link set down the emptied potionbottle. He stood all the way back up and reached over his shoulder to pull forth a trident. It seemed he had a _bunch_ of weapons strapped to his back.

     

      _HANG ON NOW_ , Link jolted forward, realizing that Sidon intended to go kill it for him. He tried to grab for the Zora but he was already speeding back off towards the Hinox. "Be right back!" he even called back and threw Link a smile.

     

     Link didn’t doubt for a second that Sidon could handle it; he was famously strong, skilled and had a huge array of talents in various weapons--more weapons than Link currently did. But he would feel so guilty and also didn’t like feeling weak. Or like he had to be saved. Even if he apparently did just this one time. _Sidon better not tell a soul._

     

     The Hylian climbed up onto his feet and dashed in the direction of the Hinox… and of Sidon, who had left him behind already. How could Zoras be so fast on land _and_ in water? Both was a bit excessive.

     

     To his frustration but also his awe, the beast choked out its dying breath right as Link arrived. It lay there on its back with a trident imbedded in its heart and Sidon stood atop it trying to wriggle the trident back out.

     

     Unlike Link, drenched in it friend’s smelly blood, Sidon didn’t seem to have a fleck on him. Or at least not on his front, who knew about the back.

     

     “Can I say,” Sidon shouted cheerfully once he finally got his trident out of the Hinox and swung it leisurely behind his back. “That _your_ battle with that first Hinox impressed me _so very much_! Amazing! Your reflexes are so good! I especially enjoyed how you got to your finishing blow: tricking the creature and then sliding right under it!” He laughed loudly.

     

     Link shrugged at the enthusiastic Zora, who hopped confidently off the Hinox and strode up to Link. Then the Zora kneeled down a little bit and said a bit quieter but no less fervently, “I can't _wait_ to actually fight the monster that hunts my people with you. What a duo we will will make! It would likely be great fun if I weren’t so upset that it had slain so many… But maybe in the _future_ we can enjoy fighting great beasts together.”

     

     Link cracked a little smile at all of Sidon’s energy, but found himself blushing again thinking about a battle like that. _Oh COME ON,_ Link yelled internally. _It won’t be a date, it will be a battle to the death with a killer monster we have yet to identify. Why must everything involving Sidon make me lose my head…??_ Something else dawned on him. For someone like Sidon, waiting to figure out how to handle a mysterious monster must have been very frustrating. He never really showed it though.  _A witch told them that it had to be slain by a Hylian. He's determined to help me kill it but has been told he can't just  try and take it out without me._ Link really needed to pick up the pace on this monster hunting thing.

     

     The next thing he knew, Sidon had taken Link’s red-stained little hand in his own big naturally-red one. “Link you… you’re such an strong and brave Hylian! So wonderful!” He squeezed Link’s hands now. “I appreciate you so much, and what you are doing and plan to do for my domain and my people. Do not worry I don’t expect you to easily fell _every_ foe. This creature got _very_ lucky for a moment.”

     

     Link, under his breath, whispered, _“I think I love you.”_

      

     “Pardon?”

     

     “AhahaHAHA, I appreciate _you too!”_ Link yelled after a very awkward and forced laugh. He did a side-ways fist-pump with his free hand, the same gesture Sidon made from time to time. His heart was beating and he was sure he was as red as a Sidon’s back.

     

     Sidon looked at him for a long moment and _hmmph_ ed, unconvinced but still in good humor. He removed his hands and stood back up straight, folding his arms. “Okay now you _must_ tell me. What in Hyrule are you thinking?”

     

     “Whaddya mean?”

   

     “Your face and ears make you redder than _I am_. And I hear Hylians get red-faced when they think hard. You must have something very deep and wise on your mind.”

     

     “Um, no. I’m just covered in blood.” Link said simply.

     

     Sidon pursed his lips. Nope, he didn’t seem to buy that at all.

      

     Link stuck with his blown-lie anyways. “Hinox blood. Like what’s also on my hands that you just held.” He smiled kind of devilishly.

     

     Sidon tilted his head and shrugged. “Blood is blood. I’ve been drenched in my fair share too, little Hylian.” His face did wrinkle a little bit though. “Hinox blood is quite… foul-smelling though, I suppose.. Well, I guess we should go clean it off.”

     

     “Good idea,” Link said and began to trot towards the Zora Domain. Sidon kept pace with him, moving a tad slower than Link so they walked side by side.

     

     “My personal pool has healing properties as well in case that healing potion didn’t fix you to tip top shape.”

     

     Link made a confused noise and looked up at Sidon, who was still gazing easily ahead. _Maybe he doesn't know that I’ve got a bath in my guestroom... that he gave me._

     

      _“_ Yes, it’s pretty luxurious,” Sidon continued, misinterpreting Link’s confused noise. “And it is a pretty large pool for just bathing. It can easily fit us both at the same time and more.”

     

     “What.”

     

     “It can fit us both at the same time?”

     

     “WHAT?” Link hollered and took a step back _. He wants to bathe together?!_ He’d stopped moving and sunk into what could almost pass as a battle stance, or maybe an about-to-run-away stance. His mouth was going through quite a few motions as he silently worded gibberish, trying to figure out what to say. His cheeks were no less red.

     

     “...Iiiiis that not okay?” Sidon hummed. “We’ve had many swims together. Baths are not much different at all, at least not in the Zora Domain.”

     

     “Yeah. Haha... Trueeee,” Link said awkwardly, standing up straighter and rubbing the back of his head. _I’m gonna freak out._

    

     Sidon clapped his hands together and spun around to continue his walk. “It will be enjoyable! Come!”

     

     For once, Link wouldn’t mind a bit of a downpour to wash the blood away before they reached the Domain.       

    

           

         

* * *

 

 

       

     Link breathed a heavy sigh of relief that this bathing thing wasn’t nearly as hot as he was expecting it to be.

     

     Sure, he was in his boxers for the very first time in Sidon’s presence, but now he supposed that made them roughly an equal amount of naked. Zoras couldn’t get much nakeder. _But thank Hylia for that I live for it._

     

     Link wasn’t really that shy about people seeing him in underwear. He actually had a brief phase caused by wake-up crazy or something where he’d stripped down in front of random citizens of Hyrule to see their reactions…. A lot had some _really funny_ reactions though! So funny that he sometimes still did it with new people to see if their reaction would amuse him any. …. _Why am I like this?_

     

     He sat with the water lapping at his chin, leaning against the pool’s submerged steps. They were very soft; thick moss had grown over the stone making it a very comfortable place to rest. The floor of the pool--also moss--made everything seem kind of blue from above, but with the water nearly at his eye-level he was pretty sure the it was actually a very pale pink. And yes, definitely magic. The few blows the Hinox had managed to make on him that still remained after the potion had been taken care of by the gentle circular current.

     

     It was kind of fun to imagine other times this pool had been used… by Sidon. The thought of him resting while partially submerged in it was a _very_ welcome image in Link’s head. It wasn’t even a thirsty one because, like Link had just realized, Sidon was actually MORE covered up than usual when partially underwater, so all Link really focused on in his daydream was Sidon being content.

     

      _Goddess Hylia why am I being like this?_ Link wondered again with a sad look and sunk a little deeper to exhale bubbles into the pool. _I almost wish he’d rescued me from that Hinox a few moments later because then maybe I’d be in an infirmary… Then I wouldn’t be in Emotionally Suffering right now just Physically Suffering which I can handle much better._

     

     Behind him, he could hear the real Sidon shuffling around in one of his room’s cabinets. Last Link had seen, the prince was collecting sponges and little vials.

     

     The shuffling stopped.

     

      _Finally joining me?_

     

     A reflection appeared in the water in front of Link and he looked down at it. A stretched and squiggly Sidon was gesturing excitedly at all the sponges, and a different Sidon he could not see said, “Here you go, lots of shampoos and conditioners for your hair, and also very soft sponges that are suited for Hylian skin.” Wiggly reflection Sidon knelt down to leave them on the poolside behind wiggly reflection Link.

     

     “Thank you Sidon,” the hero mumbled and turned around and rested his arms on the side of the pool so he could more easily pop a few of those vials open. _Why do you have shampoo and conditioner? Is it exactly for situations like this, when you have visitors who have hair? Weirdo…_

     

     Sidon’s webbed feet remained planted right near the vials, unmoving, so Link raised his head and looked waaay up at the prince. He might have let his eyes drag a little on the way up though. Sidon’s teeth glinted from the light bouncing off the pool as he finally crouched down again and placed a disorganized piles of hairties beside the vials. “Every so often one of our visitors has some of these elastic loops, like the one you’ve got, so I’ve started trading other things with them. Now you can have more in different colors.”

     

     “Weirdo,” Link said aloud this time with his eyelids low but one eyebrow raised.

     

     “Just in case you wanted them?” Sidon laughed. He scooted past Link and slid into the pool right beside him, resting his hand right on Link’s back as he did.

     

     A very shrill whine was _trying_ very hard to rise in Link’s chest because of that touch, but he kept it at bay. Link couldn’t risk making this bathing-together thing weird. Just because it miraculously wasn’t _that_ weird didn’t mean it couldn’t go plummeting down a weird cliff…... _Or would that be hot though?? No, shh, stop that._

             

     The hand was removed after another moment as Sidon got comfortable on the submerged stairs beside Link. He closed his eyes and his mouth quirked in a smile as he exhaled deeply from his nostrils. “Hmmm…”

     

     Link took in that very nice sight for a long moment, and then forcefully returned his eyes to those shampoo vials. It was so difficult to act normal when the person he had a lot of confused bubbly feelings for was just an arm's reach away.

           

     He sniffed a few of the vials. One of the darker ones smelled really sweet. “This one smells like Baba Buds...” It was nostalgic, but he wasn’t sure how.

     

     He saw Sidon move a little from his peripherals and looked over to see the Zora’s eyes trained on Link’s chosen shampoo vial. That was a very concentrated look he was wearing.

     

     “Hey buddy, you good? Not gonna try and eat me, right?”

     

     “Can I shampoo your hair?”

     

     A _“Pfft!”_ made it out of Link’s mouth at the cute little suggestion and he waved Sidon over without thinking. But when he did.... _Link NO!!_

     

     Too late, Sidon already looked excited. He scooched closer and leaned over Link, causing the boy’s heartbeat to pick up speed.

     

     Link cursed himself but remained pretty solidly frozen while Sidon was in his space. _I’ve survived so many encounters but this one is probably the most likely to kill me yet. Today’s Hinox has nothing on the threat of Sidon-related bodily reactions and crippling emotions._

     

     Sidon gently took Link’s hand and tipped it, and thus the contents of the vial, into his other palm. “I never get to touch hair besides yours,” Sidon admitted slowly, “And I’ve wanted to shampoo your hair for a while now.”

     

      _Oh Goddess, Sidon hush!_ Link’s heart was loud like wardrums and his entire face was burning more than when he’d journeyed into the Gerudo desert. Of course the shark prince hadn’t touched many people's hair. Link hadn’t either. But, as Link had realized earlier, the great red Zora likely didn’t know how intimate hair-washing and bathing together was to non-aquatic peoples.

     

     Sidon cupped some water in his other hand after replacing the vial on the side of the pool, then rubbed his hands together to create a frothy pink cloud. Link swallowed deeply. That was going on his head and so were Sidon’s very touchable hands…

     

     “Gracious, I forgot to move the hair out of your eyes,” Sidon tsked at himself with a look of disappointment. He tilted his head one way and then the other. “Hhhh, how can I do this…?”

     

     “D-dont worry about it,” Link croaked weakly, already lost in potential worst-outcomes. A lot of them involved him reacting to this head-washing in some embarrassing way and Sidon being disturbed by him. And then banishing him from the Zora Domain. And never talking to him again. But even with those fears haunting him already, Link dipped under the water and then rose back up facing the mosaic ceiling, so all of his hair was pulled back by gravity. He also turned away from Sidon to present the back of his head. “So, uh, you just slop that onto my head. Ready?” _I hope you are because I’m not._

     

     “I’m ready. I’ll be very careful,” Sidon purred and moved the pink shampoo mountain towards his head. “None of this will end up in your eyes, but you go ahead and close them to be safe.”

     

     Link did so.

     

     Sidon’s fingers slid easily into his scalp and he heard tiny bubbles popping in his ears. He felt the heel of one of Sidon’s big palms sliding along the very bottom of his scalp, near where his skull met his neck and he just thought, _Goddess Hylia, I’m Sorry But Your Champion Is Dead._ Near where his hair usually parted Link felt a some gentle rubbing and the slickness of soap. Almost all of the carressing was in a slow and circular motion. It was so nice, it was so tender.

     

     Sidon’s humming joined the popping of soap bubbles in Link’s ears. It was a very slow tune, but could have been very peppy if it were faster.

     

     The head massage, unlike what Link had expected, was slowing his heart rate rather than speeding it up, but he was still feeling extremely mushy on the inside.

     

     A desire Link _ignored_ told him to spin around and throw his arms around Sidon. Then he would kiss him really hard on the mouth and push him down against the pool’s stairs until _Link_ was the one leaning over the _him_ instead. Or maybe Sidon would end up pinning him down. That, wow, _that_ sounded like it would be _very_ fun too… Anything worked! Then the lull of Sidon’s gentle head-rubbing called his attention to a different fantasy: Just sitting on Sidon’s lap in the pool, embracing each other and bumping their faces together. They’d be sweet and slow and light with each other in this makeout. The more Link thought about that the more he wanted to kiss Sidon in a similar way to how the shark man was currently massaging shampoo into Link’s hair, full of love and compassion.

     

     Link wondered if this would be how Sidon might treat a romantic partner. If so, those suitors in there were so damn lucky. They were getting the most dreamy, affectionate man, a man many others would do _anything_ for. Whoever got him had _better_ treat him right... Link would be watchful about that. _Oh yeah,_ he remembered, _Romantic gestures makes him uncomfortable, or at least romantic gestures from people he doesn’t know. Poor thing. That’s really unfortunate when you’re the only Zora heir and a bunch of people are climbing over each other to sit on the throne with you..._

     

     “Are you alright?” Sidon whispered. His voice sounded _so good_. “You’re more tense than you were a moment ago.”

     

     Link’s slightly screechy little “Yep!” was embarrassing. Link knew Sidon didn’t mean any of this romantically, but that _whispering_ while massaging his head almost-- _ALMOST_ \-- fooled him.

     

     “I believe I have worked the shampoo into all of your hair.” Sidon’s hands moved from Link’s head down to his shoulders and very gently began to pull him backwards, “How about you lean backward against me and I’ll wash it ou--”

     

     Panic gripped Link and he jerked his whole body forward and slapped his face into the water with a mighty _SMACK!_ And then continued to descend into the water, screaming silently in his head.

     

     After a few moments, he rose back out of the water and coughed a couple times. His face was red and stinging from the force of his collision with the water instead of blushing. Or, well, he was still blushing but whatever. The shampoo had been mostly washed out of his hair by his violent avoidance of doing what Sidon had just suggested. A lot of the shampoo bubbles had also been sprayed directly ahead, leaving a trail of bubbles all the way across the pool, the floor, up to and onto Sidon’s door.

     

     “.... Wow,” he heard Sidon remark. “That kind of startled me.”

     

     Link coughed one more time, embarrassed. _It startled me too._

     

     Thankfully, Sidon wasn't one to let awkward moments linger so he clapped his hands together and cooed, “Thank you Link. Your hair is really nice and soft. I really love the way it feels when it is wet.”

     

      _He’s… so perfect._ Link twisted around to give Sidon a little smile, “I like your… head.” This wasn’t a lie, he really did, but it was one of the many _many_ things he didn’t know how to verbalize. He liked all of him. He liked him so much.   

            

     Sidon’s smile didn’t falter while he scoffed, although the tail branching from his skull wagged a little. He reached for a sponge and one of the much larger vials he’d carried over.

     

      _He’s so perfect._ Link felt a melancholy coolness in his chest, slowing down his heart a little more. _I get why I like him so much, but it’s just not fair to him or me if I tell him. If he were to return the feelings, he’d be loving a person who might get killed any day or who might be a liability. I’m really no good for him. Besides, Sidon might not be able to feel that kind of feeling. Romance seems to upset him, or at least with what I’ve seen through this whole suitor fiasco._

     

     Link grabbed a soap and a large vial too. He was assuming it was bodywash or something; he still hadn’t seen Sidon use any so he wasn’t sure. But if it was shark-head shampoo he’d shit.

  

   

 

* * *

 

 

 

     Sidon popped the cork off his chosen-vial, dwelling on the feeling of Link’s precious little head in his hands and the silkiness of his hair. It had been so much stranger, in a good way, than he had expected. Hair really was something. But Sidon felt that he might not have had such a good time, mesmerised by shampooing someone’s head, if that someone hadn’t been his very precious friend. _Link_ was really something. And so was this pressure in his throat. Something.

     

     …. But _what_ could that something be?

     

     It had been happening a lot lately. Just a few days ago, the realization struck him as he was dozing off--promptly waking him right back up--that the feeling only arose in him _around Link_. Or when others mentioned Link, or when he knew Link would be dropping by soon. His eyes darted over to his Hylian friend.

     

     Link was sniffing the contents of one of the large vials, a different smell of the same kind of soapy liquid Sidon had taken. His little nose moved slightly as he inhaled and his eyebrows scrunched together in puzzlement. His ears--something Sidon had grown quite fond of noticing the movements of--raised a little bit. Endearing boy. Adorable boy.

     

     If Sidon hadn’t known a thing about Hylians and was basing his assumptions about them on appearance, he would have been surprised at how formidable they could be. There were many small-beings he knew of who could be frightfully dangerous when they wanted to be. Hylians were one of them, apparently. _Mipha was one of them._ That first Hinox hadn’t stood a chance against Link. He was also quite sure the second would have been easy work for the boy too if it hadn’t snuck up on him.

     

     As Sidon watched, Link continued to examine the vial. He hoped his quiet friend didn’t try to use that… It was made specifically for Zora skin. Sidon was pretty sure it would be far too harsh for Link’s.

 

“Try this one instead,” Sidon offered, pointing at a vial of blue liquid soap. It was small like the shampoo vial’s had been.

 

     Link reached over and took the vial, then cracked a grin at it once he smelled its contents.

     

     “Link?” Sidon asked suddenly as a thought struck him.

     

     Link’s eyes moved over to meet Sidon’s. Those eyes, which Sidon often noticed were more mirror-like than Zora eyes, were so pretty. Sidon could see almost the entire room reflected in them. They were such a lovely color. It was a color Zora eyes couldn’t quite get to. Blue was a thing, sure, but not that deep or dark.

     

     “You know there’s a holiday in a few days?”

     

     Link’s eyes grew a little fogged and he furrowed his brows a little, probably trying to recall. _Ah what a cute face,_ Sidon thought. _Always so expressive. It makes him easy to understand even if he doesn’t talk often._ After a moment Link looked back over at Sidon and shrugged.

     

     “It is understandable that you don’t remember; you’ve lost most of your memories, even of my sister. It is the holiday of the sun goddess, Hylia! This holiday is often especially _treasured_ by your people, the Hylians. Your people are named after her, after all, because she chose you.” He gestured at Link’s ears, which twitched a little, “She is the reason you have long ears.”

     

     Link touched his ears. “I know about Hylia. I like Hylia.” He returned to scrubbing himself with bodysoap and added, “I don’t know much about her though… or the holiday.”

     

     “Well, this is a good chance for you then, if you are interested. Here in the Zora Domain we have a party. And we celebrate the day of your Goddess differently than we celebrate most other things. For one, we raise up a huge lantern meant to look like a sun.”

     

     Link nodded, scrubbing the bodysoap into his armpits and around on his chest with a sponge. He was now looking down at his reflection. Sidon wondered if he was trying to remember or if he was just thinking. _Even if he doesn’t remember, I do._ Sidon recalled one few of the parties he’d attended when he was a child. He’d been playing with the other Zora children for most of it, but at one point Mipha had pulled him aside and danced with him. Sidon didn’t doubt that Link had attended the parties aswell and that she had also danced with him.

     

     “If you aren’t busy with heroic duties, please attend. It is a very fun party and not even the elders will be able to harass you for being a Hylian during it.” Sidon’s insides flipped a little as he continued a bit more slowly, “Also, I am wondering… since there is dancing, maybe we can have a dance together? We’ve never danced before.”

     

     Link’s cool composed expression broke and his mouth trembled a bit as he looked at Sidon with a surprised expression. He swallowed and slowly murmured, “Like a slowdance?” looking more and more delighted by the moment. Sidon was quite surprised that the Hylian liked dancing so much! Although, that did make sense. Dancing and fighting could be in the same vein for Link.

     

     “Many dances, Slow and fast. There is a very ceremonial part where you dance with those you care about the most.” Sidon thought back to all the times he’d sat that one out simply out of disinterest. It wasn’t restricted to Zoras who were in love but the majority of people treated it that way. “Besides my father who I wouldn’t want to dance that with anyways, that means you,” Sidon admitted as he thought about it. “Link, are my cherished friend! You are the sole person I want to spend the most time with. So if you want we could dance during that part too.”      

     

     When Sidon had said that, Link dropped his face into his hands and thus a cloud of soap, hiding himself well in a thick film of bubbly froth. It was such a funny sight that Sidon let loose a loud laugh at a bad time, almost missing Link’s very quiet, “Okay.”

     

     “Okay you’ll come to the party?”

     

     “Y-yes!” Wonderful Link shrunk a little bit into his bubbly cocoon. What a humorous sight, so charming, so curious. Hylians sure did clean themselves in odd ways.

   

     “Aaah that pleases me so much. We’ll have the most fun!”

     

     Sidon tilted his head as he felt _it_ again, stronger, as he watched Link nod into the froth. That weird feeling that he couldn’t quite place. However, his attitude towards the feeling was far from dislike. Now that Sidon associated it with Link, the feeling was as welcome as he was.

 

**Author's Note:**

> MORE TO COME!!
> 
> Next chapter will be from mostly Sidon's POV, heeeeey B)


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